Saturday, December 31, 2011

A year in the life ...

This time last year, I was gearing up for our move to Minnesota after 12 plus years in Michigan. Mark would be househunting and starting his new MN job in January, and the kids and I would be packing up our house for a late February move. Since then I have:

said good-bye to very dear friends and to an idea of myself based on external factors

repainted our new place's interior when our belongings were delayed

assisted my oldest during a very rough transition to his new school (never before has summer break come with such relief for him)

watched as my youngest settled in more easily than expected, and been in awe as she denied living here ("I like gray" in response to the blue skies of a Minnesota winter)

experienced travel baseball (never again)

seen a chance to perform with high schoolers ease my middle schooler's pain

found one studio willing to give me a shot teaching

created a studio space and made lots of beautiful scarves

camped in the Black Hills of South Dakota

attended four art shows, at which my sales were dismal

figured out what a gift it is to live near extended family

watched Mark return to a happier frame of mind

learned how to pull shots and pour latte art

hosted Michigan friends on assorted trips through the Twin Cities

adopted a dog (a beautiful Italian Greagle)

seen my daughter branch out in ways we had only hoped might happen with a move

cheered on my son as he discovered a new passion for swimming

realized how deep friendships can run and how tentative it is starting new ones

One of my scattered-throughout-the-globe friends wrote a piece that is so very beautiful about resolutions and taking leaps and falling and starting over. This is what it has felt like. Grand and abysmal; barely functioning and laying so much groundwork; knowing I am in the right place but not quite feeling at home. Staying in touch with old friends helps and hinders. I need to move forward; I get stuck looking back. Love from my old friends inspires and sustains and saddens. Finding new friends is harder each time I move. But here I am, looking at 2012, ready to start tackling that list of Ways To Feel Like I Live Here. One item at a time.

Follow up on people's offers: coffee, introductions, job ideas

Set aside a few days to finally nail down all our health care providers

Keep walking the dog in the big park, looking for the elusive albino squirrel

Practice yoga

Try felting a tallit

Create a more structured approach to Woolynns

Research local art fairs based upon recommendations received this fall

Explore our new home state in new ways each month (arboretum, Fringe festival, etc)

Be willing to drop a few balls

Here's to a new year filled with taking leaps, falling, and starting over.
Happy 2012!